Germany cheers and fights Electric atmosphere in Frankfurt By ROB LONGLEY -- Toronto Sun Thu, June 15, 2006

FRANKFURT -- If you didn't know better, a World Cup match was going to be played right there in the murky waters of the river Main.

From the rooftops, to apartment balconies, to the thousands of bleacher seats, Frankfurters gazed at the waterway that defines their town.

The two giant -- make that massive -- screens moored in the middle of the river offered spectacular views from both the north and south bank.

The compelling programming on this night was the beloved German national soccer team and its emotionally charged clash yesterday against bitter rival Poland.

It began with a hearty rendition of the national anthem, rose when captain Michael Ballack showed his leadership throughout the contest and peaked when German substitute Oliver Neuville scored the last-gasp lone goal in extra time.

In between was more than two hours of raw proof of what this tournament means to the residents of this proud European nation.

For Germany's dramatic 1-0 win over the Poles, the sprawling river's edge here was second only to the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund as the place to be.

A Frankfurt policeman estimated 50,000 fans watched the dramatic win that enabled the host nation become the first in the tournament to reach 2-0.

"This is for the true fans, the ones who don't have to worry about being lucky enough or rich enough to get on the right side of FIFA," Karin Hecht, a university student here, said at the half, nursing a stein-sized cup of draft.

"We come here for a party, yes, but to watch football first. This is our passion. Tonight, we celebrate as a nation."

Indeed, the horns still were honking two hours after the final whistle. From Dortmund, where it was clear the building was buzzing, to Munich, where the party was held at Olympic Park, to points in between, a nation celebrated.

But it's hard to imagine any place being more electric than the Fanfest Zone in this normally staid banking city.

The mammoth screens offered a stunningly crisp view, especially as the sun faded shortly after the 9 p.m. kickoff to improve the resolution.

With full stadium sound piped in speakers, the crowd was primed. They sang along with those in Dortmund and, on cue, picked up on the chants and songs.

They sweated -- yes, it still is sweltering here in Germany -- each of the many near misses. None more than the back-to-back shots which clunked off the crossbar late in the game, when the temporary bleachers groaned in disbelief.

It also was clear the second Group A game for both teams had a special edge, given the notorious political past the countries share.

Scores of plain clothed police were on the lookout for hooligans like those who had caused a stir in Dortmund earlier.

"We are aware of where potential trouble can take place but for now at least it doesn't seem to be that type," a Frankfurst cop, who would identify himself only as Alex, said.

It wasn't so benign in Dortmund, where police were on edge before noon, seeing as an estimated 25,000 Poles were on hand.

By kickoff, dozens of supporters from both countries reportedly had been arrested, including several Germans who had given a Nazi solute to their rivals.

The significance of the game -- and feelings of discomfort -- also were clear to the small yet vocal Polish contingent gathered in Frankfurt.

Katryana Krozec said most fans understood "this is just a football match," but some took it too far.

"The German people, there are some of them that have a way of making us feel small," said Krozec, decked in red and the Poland flag painted on her face. "It does not happen all that much, but at times like this we feel it."

Like the thousands around her, Krozec didn't need to be in a stadium to get a raw taste of World Cup passion.